


Toy Box

by Hoodedscarlet



Series: Toy Box AU [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Multi, Other, soulmate!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-19 02:02:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1451329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hoodedscarlet/pseuds/Hoodedscarlet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every kid knows that if you're bored you play with your favorite toys, and if you're scared at night, you just hug your favorite toy and they'll keep you safe. They'll keep the bad dreams away.</p><p>But what if they do so more... literally?</p><p>For Gavin Free, that happens to be the case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Collection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started as a dream; they started as toys.

When Gavin was born, he received a teddy bear.

It wasn't just any bear either - his mother had brought it especially for her new little boy, delighted with the young man that now lay in her arms.  
It had dark brown fur that felt like velvet, bright eyes and gaudy yellow pants that somehow seemed to match. Of course Gavin got other toys as well, other bears dressed in suits that growled and squeaked but there was something about the bear that had Gavin captivated. Something that had Gavin coming back to the toy over and over again to share in adventures or just to comfort him in the night, and every morning he’d make sure the bear was safely in the middle of his pillows.

The toy came to be known as Michael - and it suited the bear just right.  
If he could have remembered them, perhaps Gavin would’ve been able to tell you about the bear that accompanied him alone through his dreams. Michael fought off his nightmares with savage claws and a ferocity that was heart stopping. But all of it melted when Michael turned to him, a familiar face in an unfamiliar world, and Gavin couldn’t help but feel safe.

-x-

It felt like Gavin had been waiting forever.  
In reality it’d only been a week since the boy had realized that his birthday was almost here, but since then it felt like each day passed with lead in its boots. It was as if the world WANTED him to crack and come _on_ , why was it taking so long?  
But finally the day came and with crazed hair and bright eyes Gavin embraced it, diving head first into the food and games. He tore into his presents like each was the last one he’d ever see; however, the one that caught the young boy's eye was the box that his aunt gave him. 

Adorned in green and gold with stars littering the box, a few cranks of the handle would set off a merry tune that had Gavin grinning. However, a few more and suddenly a joyous clown would burst out the top, with a hand painted smile and a silly hat with bells on. Gavin’s mother always regretted not recording the first time Gavin wound it up – the poor Brit had near shat himself when the joker burst out for the first time. But after he was done sniveling (because that was really scary and stop laughing at him!) he sat down and wound it up again. And again, and again until the tune was a constant in his head, as soothing as the joker’s expression actually was once he finally came to rest.  
It was no surprised that Gavin called him Jack – then again, that’s the sort of name you get when you leave it up to a child who can barely talk.

Perhaps if he could remember or articulate properly, Gavin would be able to tell you how another figure joined him in his dreams – a man who in juxtaposition to his gaudy costume had a calm that surround him that rivaled the embrace of Michael. But he was strong, so strong and Gavin couldn’t help the puppy like love he had for the joker who made his dreams a haven and the world just a little less scary.

-x-

There was something about that cow that made Gavin absolutely need to have him.  
Perhaps it was how soft he was, like the kitten one of Gavin’s friends had let him hold once. Or perhaps it was his floppy ears, or his little nubby horns. Maybe it was even that bright smile that crossed the toys face; whatever it was, Gavin had to have it. Tugged on his mum's coat, glued himself to the shop window because he hadn't wanted a toy like that in so long and _Oh please mum, it’s so top, I’ll do anything!_

It had been weeks of hard work for the six year old and a near frantic breakdown in the shop because _oh no had he been sold already?_ as he tore down the aisles when he swore he’d seen him, tears blurring Gavin's vision. But it was all so, so worth it to be able to finally hug the cow to his chest and call him his. And perhaps as he got older and the cow was subjected to the old rough and tumble he got the strangest look in his eye – his mother once laughed and said the cow must have been driven half mad by how the energetic boy treated him.

Gavin named the cow Ryan, and he couldn’t help but think that Michael looked happier with a friend beside him.

It had been a thrill when Ryan had turned up in his dreams too; in a cloak of black and white he would move his hands and weave magic like a song. Shades of gold and red and blue and every colour Gavin could name would spark out of his hands like fireworks. Gavin would laugh as the wizard would match the sparks to the green of the bandana around his neck, or make the sparks of his spells go _bang bang bang_ in a way that was simply delightful to the Brit. And when the boy that had pushed him of the swing appeared in his dreams with fire in his hands they would work together. They’d slash and shoot and spell cast, forcing the bully back until he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sometimes the demons he fought didn’t appear to be his own – they came with their own stories and some of them were shapeless and carried names like _bullies_ and _money_ and _sexuality_ and perhaps Gavin didn’t fully understand why they were so scary because he didn’t know what they really meant. But his friends were scared and he couldn’t have that – and he’d bound and somersault into the fray with an exuberance that would pay off when he could force the demons away even just for a night.  
Gavin had never had a bad dream before - and he wasn’t about to start now, especially with the fear he could see in his friends eyes at the sight of their demons and knowing he could do something.

Considering he saw nothing but peace on his friends faces when he closed his eyes again at the end of the night, he was pretty sure he was doing a bloody top job.

-x-

Gavin’s granddad had always had a knack for winning things.  
From the lottery, to sweepstakes, to ‘winning’ the most lovely wife in the world as he would so romantically put it, the man was no strange for his luck tipping in his favour. So really, it wasn’t much surprise when he won the competition that he’d entered for his nine year old grandson, the large package arriving in Gavin’s mailbox only days later. So with a barely contained excitement Gavin found himself sat cross legged on his bedroom floor, pieces of train track and scenery spread out before them like a jigsaw puzzle.

It turned out to be just as frustrating as a puzzle too, as the two of them spent the next few hours trying to work out how to build the complex track shown on the box. His Granddad would hum and ha, turning over a piece in his hand as he exclaimed that they must simply be missing a piece and how would they be able to complete the track without it? It was almost as if the man knew that Gavin would be sitting on the missing piece… Again.

But finally they had the track looping around the room, over and under itself in figure eights, and it was with barely contained trepidation that Gavin turned to the last remaining part of the circuit – the train. A beautiful rust red, the engine was adorned in gold detailing, most notably the roses that decorated the carriages and caboose. But even as Gavin set the train on the track something felt like it was… missing. It looked so pretty - but it was also so _empty._

Of course his granddad knew. The young Brit turned to the man to express his disappointed only to be met with the older man holding out a small figurine. With his neat black uniform and rose in his lapel there was something about him that was simply charming; he was perfect. Gavin excitedly bundled him into the train and all the frustration of the afternoon was worth it to see his little conductor running around the circuit he and his granddad had built. 

That night after the track had been packed away and Gavin lay in his bed, he stared at the shelf where the train engine was perched. Ray was still happily seated inside, painted pristine with a slight smirk on his face Gavin hadn’t noticed in his initial excitement. Jack, having been left sprung out of his box seemed to envelope the train in a hug – it made Gavin’s lip quirk because of course the jack-in-the-box would enjoy the company. Gavin couldn’t bring him to bed like he could Ryan and Michael (too many sharp edges and hard surfaces, he knew; he’d tried) but neither had he had the heart to put the joker with the rest of his toys, buried in his toy box at the back of his cupboard. It just didn’t feel _right_. 

As Gavin’s eyes closed, he dubbed the conductor Ray.

Ray appeared to the group of them in a flourish; a train racing into view and the conductor leaping out with a grace that Gavin had thought to be unobtainable. Sure, Jack could spring about like a madman, but 'grace' wasn’t the right word to describe how he moved. He himself could bounce around like a rocket too – but considering he face planted more than half the time ‘grace’ wasn’t really the word either. (For him Michael would argue it was klutz or fool or idiot – Gavin would then tackle him because how about no?) But suddenly Ray came into the picture, and he strolls up to Gavin, rose whisked out of thin air and given to him with an over dramatic wink for show. 

He totally didn’t blush.  
Nu-uh.  
Shut up.

And suddenly their adventures didn’t just take place in forests; it took place in mountains and oceans and deserts because _why not_ when you have an assemblage of transport at your disposal? And the monsters were getting stronger and more terrifying; changing from shapeless fears with a name attached to vicious beasts that looked demonic and yet all too familiar. Gavin could look at his own and see his parents, his teachers, his tormentors stretched and warped into nightmarish creatures he couldn't bring himself to strike.  
But that’s why they were here – when one of them was weak the others could step forward, fight the monsters they couldn’t bear on their own. And perhaps some nights he’d rather not – perhaps some nights he’d like his dreams to be as eventless as his friends but it was worth it at the end of the night to see the night clear of demons.

Some would come back. They all knew that. But Ray was another link in a strengthening chain , and there was no better satisfaction than seeing another worry disappear for good.

-x-

Gavin had never been the sort for toy soldiers.  
He's always been more the sort to lie out on the couch, gangly limbs and all, and try running through another game of Sonic or Mario or whatever happened to be hooked up to the TV at the time. First person shooters held no interest for him really; perhaps it was his preference in toys from his younger days coming through. Did you really need blood to enjoy a game?  
  
It made him almost nostalgic for days when he would sit down on the floor of his room and play with Ryan and Michael and Ray and Jack; the four of which were now perched on a shelf together, leaning against each other like best buddies. And perhaps Michael’s fur was thinning in places, or Ryan was almost as much stitch as he was fabric because of all the repairs that had needed to be done on him, or that Jack and Ray were prone to collecting dust but he still loved each one with a deep passion. He didn’t know any of his friends that even knew where their favorite toy was anymore, much less had a shelf especially for them. 

Of course, his friends didn’t have said toys join him in their dreams as well.

Michael had transformed over time from just a bear to a warrior. Mogar, he named himself, a persona for the men and woman of the land they protected to whisper with baited breath. Armed with a sword that could behead any man, his roar could put fear in the hearts of anything in their way – and if that didn’t do the trick the man had a mouth that would make a sailor cry.

Ray was their getaway man, waiting with plane or car or boat – or if they were really lucky (which they usually were) they would get to ride in his train. He’d always have a rose in his lapel and a smile for his crew- even if it was more than a little forced at times.

Jack fought like a madman, using spring loaded contraptions he pulled out of god-knows-where to sucker punch their enemies and ran along walls like gravity didn’t exist. But despite his nimble movements and agility he still radiated a calm that the four of them frankly needed more and more now.

Ryan had only become more and more skilled in his magic, taking on the persona of Edgar as he weaved the powerful spells and charms that had saved them many a time. But the madness Gavin’s mother had spotted in the toy cow’s eyes so early on had come to a terrifying fruition in his dream counterpart. Sometimes it felt like they were only moments away not from fighting their own demons, but from fighting Ryan himself.

They weren’t complete.

They all knew it, there was somebody missing and sometimes they’d wander aimlessly because in all honesty where were they supposed to go? They’d fight the demons that would come to them but it wasn’t working anymore, their demons were winning. Night after night Gavin would wake up in a cold sweat because he could feel the wounds in his chest, arms, legs like they were real.  
It was worse when it was one of the others though – he’d be jolted awake with their name on his lips and his heart about to shatter against the bones in his chest. God, life was already hard enough with tests and parents and friends and everything else. His dreams were supposed to be the place when things were simple; yet he could barely even sleep anymore and he walked with gaunt eyes and a mind he kept trying to clear. Because thinking hurt too much – thinking brought back the fears he couldn’t handle, none of them could handle and it terrified him. 

He hadn't felt such a strong pull towards another toy in years. 

Gavin had only come here to kill time while he waited for a friend to turn up at the mall – and why not try the department store? Some of the random shit in here could be rather interesting.  
But then he found himself in the toy aisle, picking up a box for a toy solider and every thought in him just stilled. Everything went quiet. Because there was just something about the solider, in his futuristic uniform and crazy gun too big for his body that was almost... endearing. 

Which was ridiculous; there was no doubt about it if the guy came to life Gavin would be blown to smithereens in ten seconds flat. Hell he was the only one of his sort on the shelf and he couldn’t remember seeing that brand name anywhere else. But there was something about the soldier’s determined eyes and well groomed mustache, how he held his helmet under his arm as if on a mission for something bigger than himself. 

Suddenly it didn't matter how ridiculous this feeling, this idea was because he was already fumbling out crumpled notes from his pockets and counting them up in his hands.  
He had to leave the store with this toy. There was no question about it as he tucked it under his arm, made his way to the front of the store with a feverish look in his eye. By the time he was out of the store he'd already wrestled the toy out of the box, fiddling with the twist ties that strung Geoff out for display.  
(Geoff was a good name, a very good name. It rolled off his tongue like it was meant to be there and if that wasn’t the stupidest thing he'd said for a while he was failing his reputation.)

When he got home and put Geoff on his shelf next to the other, suddenly everything felt perfect. This feeling of relief that made his shoulders go lax, that made a grin split his face from ear to ear because they were all here. Finally, they were all here.

“The gang’s all together guys.” 

And suddenly in his dreams Geoff arrived; and while he commanded attention like his uniform suggested there was a softness to the man that seemed to focus, concentrate everybody’s energy. Taking each man’s talents, each man’s half and combining it into the whole. (And yes, it was more like each man’s sixth but that didn’t do the man's talents justice, didn’t fully convey how Gavin felt stronger than he ever had.) 

Geoff slotted in like the final piece of a puzzle that Gavin had only just realized he was putting together wrong and everybody just seemed more _alive_. The demons were shrinking back again under their reign.

Gavin could sleep again.  
Life went on.

-x-

The dreams had never been this… Undriven before.

Sure, it was the same adventures, and with the absurd collection of personalities at his side one would think that it would never get dull. But lately, the adventures with the gang seemed to have been severely lacking – hell, it was as if he was just going through the motions.

The thing was; so were they.

He hadn’t noticed the first few days, but there was a very real way to the way that Michael just seemed to be plodding along, that’s Jack’s usually nimble steps were slowed. It was the eyes that did it though.  
Gavin couldn’t open his mouth to ask - and he’d tried, so many times; tried to ask if they were only figments of his imagination or if the connection he could feel in his very soul was as real. As real as a part of him so desperately believed, so desperately _knew._  
But when he looked Ray in the eyes he could see the same questions, when he looked at Geoff he could see him trying to break the boundaries, try and reach out in the same way. The way that Ryan tried to spell out in magic what he couldn’t say in words – how the words fizzed into darkness on his fingertips.  
They all knew. They were all there with him.

They were all _real._

And even though he might never know anything more than that – that he might never touch them or hold them or thank them for being the support he had needed since before he could remember it made Gavin happy. Because even if everything in his life fell apart at least there were five men that he could depend on somewhere in the world.  
Maybe it wasn’t much – maybe this was all just a big hallucination in his mind. But it helped. And in the end, that’s all that mattered.


	2. Collecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were never meant to be just a dream.

A change in scenery.

A change of scenery, Dan had proposed as he’d held out the plane ticket to Gavin, set to leave that weekend.  
“Perhaps you’ll be able to think of some more stuff for Slo Mo Guys.” He said with a grin, refusing to take no for an answer as Gavin tried to thrust the ticket back into his laughing friends hands.  
A change of scenery, the Brit mumbled to himself as he watched English soil disappear from under the plane wheels and the foreign soil rise up, trying the words on his tongue and turning them against his teeth. 

It was true that his usual creative spark was taking a dip – sure, he was still producing content but it was… Stale. Dan knew him better than a lot of people did anyway, so Gavin wasn’t entirely against taking his advice. Plus, the man would probably thrust his hand into a mousetrap or ten for him, so perhaps taking what he said to heart wasn’t going to be the worst idea he’d had. (That would have probably gone to that night with the booze, the American bulldog and the silly string… there was still a bar he refused to go back to because of that.)  
As he sat in the hotel room though, the yellow of the street lamps filtering in through the blinds, Gavin had to wonder.

-x-

It was as if they were trying to tell him something.

It’d been so long since Gavin had realized that he wasn’t alone in these crazy dreams with whoever these men were. In a way, it only drove Gavin to fight just that much harder, push himself just that little bit more because these demons and worries and fears he was pushing back actually _belonged_ to somebody. There were people out there, somewhere that depended on him as much as Gavin did them. The very least he could do is make sure when he closed his eyes at the end of the night they were as relaxed as he was. It was a burden he knew he didn’t have to shoulder – but how couldn’t he when he knew it was his friends' wit, charm, happiness on the line?

But out of all of them it was always Geoff and Jack that tried to push the unspoken boundaries the most. The way they tried to end the sentences the other started, the way Jack stepped up and became the wingman that they all knew he’d always been to Geoff.  
There was a closeness to the two they could all see and for some reason they were clearly trying to emphasize – but _why_ was the real question. And the two older men knew they were wondering and _wanted_ to answer, and Gavin could feel it in their touch, in the inflictions in their words so carefully chosen. But they couldn’t. No matter how hard they tried, no matter how stealthy they were they couldn’t and not for the first time Gavin wished they could finally speak the words they all wanted to most.

He just wish he knew.

One night he just couldn’t get the thought out of his head, as it whirred and burred in his mind and even the heat of battle couldn’t burn it from his mind. As he watched each of his companions drop into sleep he couldn’t slow his mind and despite how easy he usually found it to slip back into reality it felt like an impossible feat today. It wasn’t any surprise he found himself walking out to the cliff face, where the forest spread out underneath him as varied as the stars overhead, away from the other sleeping bodies. 

“Can’t sleep either?”

The voice made him jump, Gavin’s trusted claw gloves springing into action as he bared his teeth.  
Of course, Gavin relaxed as quickly as he tensed – he should have expected that Ryan would have sensed him coming with his impeccable sense of his surroundings, and he walked up to the man who knew sleep only as a little known pleasure.  
The mage had mused once that perhaps it was the way he straddled the line between dream and reality which eluded to the source of his powers - whatever it was Gavin had heard too many stories of how Ryan experienced things for him to be jealous. When sleep didn't come, the dream came in the guise of hallucinations, and that didn't sound fun at all. 

“Nah.”

Ryan said nothing in response, just patted the rock beside him and Gavin took the seat gratefully, feet dangling over the edge of the rock as they both stared out into the distance. He wasn’t sure when the two of them made the transition from sitting side by side to Gavin lying between Ryan’s legs, fingers carding through the Brits hair. But it wasn’t unwanted. 

“I wish I knew what Geoff and Jack were trying to say.” Gavin sighed, nudging his head into Ryan’s hand when it started to pull away. Perhaps a blush burnt at his cheeks when he heard Ryan chuckle at the action, but it just felt so good and Gavin felt so _safe_ with him – with all of them. It made him wish he knew how Ryan actually felt physically, outside their dream land. How rough his hands were, the feel of his hair, even just a scent that Gavin could attribute to him that wasn’t the lint and fabric softener of the toy Gavin held so near and dear to him.

“I do too – but I guess we’ll have to settle for waiting.” Ryan admitted, and Gavin could hear the reluctance in his voice. 

“You don’t want to.”

“Who does?” 

And Ryan met his eyes and time seemed to hang because Gavin knew exactly what Ryan meant.  
None of them did, because he knew that those two knew something they didn’t and a part of him desperately hoped it was that the two men knew how they could finally be together.  
Suddenly the moment felt just right, and throwing caution to the wind they were leaning in for a kiss. Gavin’s eyes fluttered shut as he could feel the whisper of Ryan’s breath on his cheeks, and he could feel his pulse roaring in his ears.

But as their lips met there was… Nothing. He couldn’t feel anything, he literally couldn’t feel anything and he opened his eyes to meet Ryan’s he was met with a gaze that held a special type of sadness. Ryan's fingers stroked his cheek, but it didn’t feel like his hand either – it was a whisper of something that should have been a whole and Gavin for once didn’t mind the few tears that escaped him as he drifted into sleep.

How can you imagine a kiss, a touch you’ve never even had?

Especially one with so much riding on it?

-x-

Gavin had never been the sort to just stop in for a coffee.

But the rain pounded against his back like it wanted to puncture holes in his shirt and while he did like his bevs, he wasn’t desperate enough to duck into a bar at two in the afternoon.  
Possibly.  
Maybe.  
It had taken Gavin a good few minutes to convince himself out of it – mainly by using the fact that if he walked in there he wasn’t going to walk out sober, and certainly not in a few minutes time. And wasn’t the whole point of this holiday to experience something out of the ordinary? So that was how Gavin Free found himself found himself nursing a coffee in an alleyway cafe, watching the rain run down the window in rivets of silver grey. 

It was actually a pretty decent coffee – not too much milk and sweet enough the bitterness was almost a pleasant aftertaste then an overwhelming feature. It matched the sleepy feel of the room, almost as if everybody was moving in the slow motion he adored so much.  
He still had a month to go on his trip – but the ‘inspiration’ that Dan had been so adamant would turn up hadn’t reared its head just yet, remaining as elusive as ever. Perhaps it was just time to clear his head.

He’d made nothing of it when he had pushed in the chair, turning to leave and his eyes hadn’t left the floor. He made nothing of it when suddenly he ran into the person in front of him and suddenly there was coffee everywhere – in his shirt, his jeans, pooling on the floor and steaming and _ow_ that actually kind of hurt where the liquid scolded his skin.

He’d made nothing of that, but he made everything of the fact that when he looked into the man’s eyes in front of him he saw a pair of eyes that had been burned into his memory for what felt like forever.

“Geoff?”

“Gavin?”

It was his name, _his_ name and it was spoken with a clarity that he hadn't even realized had been warped by the fabric of his dreams. A roughness that came with age mixed with surprise but right now Gavin honestly couldn’t be fucked what it sounded like because it was Geoff, _Geoff_ the man that had taken him and made him whole and he fell into the man’s arms with a laugh that contained too many emotions to name.

“Fuck, I never thought I’d see the day.” Geoff said with a laugh and Gavin could feel his mustache tickle at his cheek and he just started to laugh harder, tears budding in his eyes because god he could feel the strength in his arms, see the tattoos that snaked along the plains of his arms that had been so palely represented in the dream world and he was here, right in front of him and once again Geoff was the support he needed as he stood shaky on his own two feet.

“Okay as annoyed as Jack’s going to be that I’m late with the coffee, I think he’s going to forgive me for this one.” And Gavin felt the smile on his face grow even wider because that was what they were trying to tell them. That they were together, in person – that they were being drawn together and Gavin didn’t know how to express any more joy than he already was because it felt like he was close to bursting and the excess was leaking out the seams.

“I’m so bloody glad I didn’t go to the pub.” Gavin mumbled into Geoff’s neck, even as the coffee soaking into his shirt and pants started to feel more than a little uncomfortable and the woman at the counter gave them a confused look and wow okay he forgot that anybody in the world existed besides the man in his arms.

“Me too Gav, me too.”

And their lips met in a press that was desperate and sweet and perfectly orchestrated all at once, and if Geoff noticed how the other man’s lips moved with a little less skill then most he didn’t mention it – because for the first time in his life Gavin had met one of his closest companions, his protectors, one of his soulmates and if that didn’t make this whole bloody trip worth it, he didn’t know what would.

-x-

It felt like Gavin had been waiting forever.

His fingers intertwined with Geoff’s as he worked the gearstick, watching the features scan the road with a fascination only reserved for such treasured things like his Phantom… and incidentally, his six favourite toys. Funny how that worked out.  
But despite Geoff insisting that yes, this was the quickest route home and yes, he was going the fastest he could without breaking the speed limit and _Jesus dicks Gavin how much of a puppy are you?_

But Gavin could hear the affection in the older man’s voice, in the way that Geoff would look over at the young Brit with a smile quirking at his lips and all Gavin wanted to do was kiss him again. Perhaps if he did that would make this trip pass just a little bit faster, because at the moments the miles were oozing past like cement and god Gavin wasn’t going to be able to handle this if it was going to take this long to get there.

As soon as they reached the flat where the two of them lived Gavin scrambled to get out, wrenching back his seatbelt and diving for the handle of the car because there was only a few hundred metres between him and another one of his soulmates holy _shit_ -  
-only to be stopped by a very strong hand on his shoulder with a reminder from Geoff that hey, Jack wasn’t exactly expecting to get an armful of Brit today, so maybe taking a moment to take it down a notch would be a good idea? And perhaps Gavin did feel a little like a kicked puppy then, but Geoff just laughed and kissed him on the cheek (and long may the novelty of that never die) before Gavin followed Geoff indoors, resisting the urge to bound up the steps two at a time.

Gavin’s heart just about stopped in his chest when he saw the redhead.

His beard was as magnificent as he’d always envisioned it to be, his eyes firmly trained on the computer screen in front of him. Even when he smiled at Geoff in thanks for his drink, along with a teasing ‘coffee doesn’t take that long to grind, asshole, you better have a good excuse’ It had only been when Geoff had pointed out with a grin that they kind of had a special guest today that Jack’s gaze had met Gavin’s and his eyes had widened to mirror his own.

Meeting Geoff was intense, yes, but meeting Jack was a whole different ball game because he literally couldn’t remember life without Jack at his side. While the man was wearing far from the gaudy outfit that Gavin had associated with him for so long, he could feel the calm that radiated out with the man like a physical force. He hadn’t expected it to be as potent as when he slept, but here he was and even as he wanted to jump into Jack’s lap and kiss him hard he could feel himself relax. Feel the tension release from his shoulders and legs and hands and leaving the strong feeling of admiration and want and _love_ for the man in front of him.

He stood transfixed as Jack rose from his chair, and covered the short distance between the two of them and part of him felt more than a little self-conscious as he stood there in a coffee stained shirt and jeans. But Jack obviously didn’t care as he took the Brit’s face in his hands, running his thumbs over the younger man’s cheeks in awe. Gavin’s hands came up slowly, so slowly to cover Jack’s own, as if one wrong look would break this moment like the illusion it surely had to be, and he could almost feel the other man’s pulse racing under his fingertips keeping in time with his own.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

And Gavin’s face was splitting into a grin again, eyes lighting up as Jack closed the distance between then with a kiss that was deep and indulgent. Lips ran over each other and Gavin was falling into it more and more until he was breathless. And then he was laughing again, because here he was surrounded by two of his soul mates looking honestly a bit on the worse side with hair still damp from the downpour outside and coffee stained clothes. But honestly, right now he didn’t give a fuck because he felt the luckiest guy in the world – and if a few hours later Gavin found himself giving a fuck more… Literally, then he wasn’t complaining about the outcome of events at all.

(At least it gave him another solid reason to put his clothes through the wash.)

-x-

Now it was three versus three – and as their luck would have had it, having one more person in on the ‘secret’ didn’t make life for them any easier.  
Gavin quickly learnt that in the two older men’s attempts to let them know what was going on had far surpassed what Gavin had even caught onto. There were the words that were torn out of their throats, yes, but there were also the so cleverly planned tracks that would spell it out, the and that would always change last minute, throwing off the whole bloody thing) and there were the messages spelt out in dirt, wood, leaves, fire. Whatever they could think of, they would try and every single time their efforts were fruitless. Hell, even the hickeys that Jack wore with a blush burning at his cheeks were near invisible to the men, dismissed as tricks of the light if they were even registered at all. Geoff obviously had a bit of fun setting up those last attempts, if the smug glances he gave the bruises spattering Jack’s neck was anything to go by. But Gavin was at the end of his rope. He just wanted to lunge at the rest of them and shake some sense into them because what sort of bloody minge pots were they?! Surely it was so painfully obvious by now, _surely._

But even with Gavin on their side they couldn’t seem to drown out whatever put a stopper in their plans. It looked as if this was just something that they had to accept was bigger than them, that something or somebody knew what was supposed to happen and it was all going to work out perfectly as planned. That someday they’d be together, all six of them.

Just because they knew that didn’t stop the words from pressing at their teeth, and soon Gavin found the feeling of his voice escaping him as frustrating yet painfully familiar as Jack and Geoff did.

-x-

There was something about that bloody tart that made Gavin absolutely need to have it.

For once, he wasn’t talking about his boyfriends, which pushed the shopping cart not two steps ahead of him, but the blackberry one that taunted him from behind the glass of the bakery shelving. Dusted in sugar with a filling he knew would be as ooey-gooey as it looked, as soon as he saw it Gavin couldn’t get it out of his mind. He’d held out so long too, helping Jack load in another few boxes of beer into the trolley and Geoff counted up to make sure they had enough tomato paste for several pizzas. 

Gavin knew he had to go get it though, and excusing himself from the company of the other two he quickly walked back to the bakery, packaging up the sweet treat in a paper bag.  
He was so close.  
His eyes locked in on the other end of the supermarket and Gavin could see him, packing the last of his groceries at the checkout counter and while he wasn’t wearing his robes Gavin could still practically see the magic burning around him. Could almost see the light dancing at his fingertips, the mischievous wink in his eye and it was Ryan, it was _Ryan_ and before Gavin knew what he was doing he was running, trying to dash around the shopping carts in front of him as he made a beeline for another man that made him whole.

Of course, it wasn’t going to be that simple, it was never going to be that simple and in a mad manoeuvre to try and avoid two shopping carts coming right at him he caught his foot on one of the shelves, toppling down onto the concrete floor. It was only a moment, but even as Gavin started to feel the blood dripping from his nose he was back on his feet, looking frantically for his soul mate. He was gone - how could he be gone? - and Gavin was running again through the counters, out the door and he could see the car leaving, _no no no._ He could see the back of Ryan head and no he couldn’t been too late, that’s not how these things work, there’s supposed to be a fucking happy ending and “RYAN!” tore from Gavin’s throat as he sunk onto his knees.  
It couldn’t be.  
It couldn’t have been so easy to see the man, see him and just lose him like that. He could feel two familiar pairs of hands on his back as his frame shivered in an attempt to keep the tears back.

He’d been so close.

-x-

Never had Gavin’s anger been so potent before.

They’d all thought it would have been Ryan they’d have to fight, Ryan who would snap and lose it, but as soon as Gavin saw the mage’s oh so painfully familiar face he was launching himself at the man. Betrayal was a steeled mask on his face and hell if Ray hadn’t tackled him out of the air he probably would have gotten in a good swipe or two as well. 

“Gavin?” And Ryan’s voice held nothing but honest confusion, and if anything that just made Gavin even more furious because why the fuck didn’t he check behind him, why didn’t he check if he’d left anything behind because the son of a bitch had left him behind and he couldn’t handle that. Not after he so desperately wanted to make right what should have happened that night together on the cliff top. He wanted to hold the man’s face in his hands and feel his hands in his own, kiss him and hold him and make Ryan his.  
But when he tried to speak and articulate the words just wouldn’t come out, jamming in his throat and he choked on it; choked on his anger and tears and if he’d had the courage before to punch the man dead set in the jaw it was gone now.

Gavin loved him - Gavin loved all of them and he couldn’t take out his anger on them. A monster of a man flirted beneath his skin and he knew tonight wasn’t a night he could handle being with his companions. He ran into the thick of the bush – he ran and ran until it made his muscles burn and he didn’t mind when his vision began to blur with tears. He just kept running until he crumpled and he barely flinched when the first demon struck him. He just took strike after strike, wincing at every lash that decorated his back in a mockery of a crisscross and it was far too long until it jolted him awake.

Usually this would be when he would pull the covers up around his neck, bury his head and tried to forget – he’d gotten good at that in that period of time before Geoff had come along.  
But then comforting hands ran along his spine and he nearly jumped in surprise before he remembered _oh_ he wasn’t alone anymore.  
He wasn’t alone.  
Just the thought brought a little peace to his heart as he cuddled into Jack’s side, head nuzzling into Jack’s neck.

“You going to be okay?” The redhead asked, and Gavin had to smile at how thickly laced with sleep the older man’s voice was.

“I’ll be okay.” 

And it was the truth, a smile lying soft on his lips as he slipped back into sleep.

-x-

Gavin had always had a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time.

That basically summed up the day with Ryan – and while it’d be a few days since then, to say that he was completely over it was a little bit askew. Thankfully Geoff and Jack were good at keeping him busy; they’d sent him into town today with a small list of computer supplies. He’d heard a bit about Achievement Hunter while he’d spent time with the two other men. A community based achievements website, Geoff had explained, releasing achievement guides and Easter egg locations amongst other stuff and if that didn’t sound right up the Brits alley he wasn’t sure what would. So Gavin wasn’t exactly complaining as he grabbed another cable that he only vaguely recognized and handed it over to the woman at the register – the more he could be a part of this, the better.

Of course, a quick stop at the electronics store and he found he was actually feeling quite peckish, and then wasn’t there another electronics store around here that Geoff had said had some pretty cool equipment in it?...  
Before Gavin had realized it, it was getting dark outside and shit this was the last bus for the night and he hurried on just as the doors slid shut, flashing an apologetic look at the driver as he swiped his day pass.

Unfortunately, he quickly realized that oh hey, the number 7 looks suspiciously like the number 1 and god damnit he should have accepted Geoff’s offer to just get picked up because now he was heading who bloody knew where, in a near empty bus with a now very dead cell phone. The only other people that were riding at this hour was some guy flicking through a comic book a couple of rows down (Gavin could see a green skin tight outfit and that was the end of his interest in that guy) an older woman with some late night shopping seated in her lap and some red head near the front of the bus. Gavin spent a moment musing over the fact that damn, that guys hair did remind him a little bit of Michael but he quickly dismissed the thought – god, he didn’t need to act so desperate.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the long shadow dissolved into blackness Gavin felt himself slumping further and further into his seat. Perhaps at the end of the line he could borrow a call from the driver – assuming he could remember the number.  
Damnit. The redhead had left between stops, and he could feel a stab at his heart at the thought of ‘ _That could have been Michael, why didn’t you look?_ ’.  
Yeah, he wasn’t over missing Ryan.

He was jolted out of his moping by a ringtone, and the other man in the bus cursing under his breath as he patted himself down.  
 _‘Somebody once told me, the world is gonna roll me, I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed…’_  
Gavin noted that the song was kind of appropriate for the moment, before realizing who’s phone exactly was ringing – because as the man finally pulled his phone triumphant from his pocket the Brit could see the glint of a charm he knew all too well behind the man’s glasses, and why the hell had he been so transfixed on the redhead when this guy was sitting not two rows in front of him? 

“Ray!”

The man turned around, and Gavin could see the happiness bloom onto the younger man’s face and suddenly it felt like all his Christmases had come at once because god, here was Ray; the man who had made him question just how straight he was when he was young and naïve. Before he could register exactly what was going he had a lap full of Puerto Rican and suddenly they were a clash of lips and teeth that weren’t nearly as experienced as either of them might have you believe at first glance but Ray was _here_ , they’d finally found each other and they probably would have relished in that very fact for a lot longer before they heard a gruff voice saying to take their affection elsewhere. Thankfully the driver seemed more amused than pissed off and as the two of them sat down again, slightly more civil than before, Gavin couldn’t help but pull Ray into his side.

Frankly, Gavin was lucky that Ray had the same phone as him or soul mate or not Gavin would’ve been screwed for the night - and while the other two weren’t exactly happy about Gavin disappearing on them even they found it hard to stay angry when the man elaborated on exactly why he had taken so long to call. Between general celebration and Geoff exclaiming that they were ‘going to need a bigger fucking bed’ it didn’t take long for the other two men to pull up in the car, the three of them quick to embrace Ray in a tight hug.  
“Nice to finally met you.” Ray said, smiling.  
“It’s about time we did.” Jack replied, laughing.

They were coming together, piece by piece – and Gavin couldn’t be happier.

-x-

“Hey Ray?”

Gavin sat up in the bed, looking over at the younger man whose hair was uncharacteristically out of place. (then again it wasn’t exactly like the preceding activities had relied very much on their hair being in impeccable shape – if anything Gavin had been trying to muss it out of shape.)

“Hm?”  
Gavin looked down, now almost embarrassed to ask. He knew that now he’d asked he would need to carry through with his question though – just like in the same way that Ray had convinced him that yes, he did need more than a makeout session just before, he knew the man would somehow draw Gavin’s question out of him whether he liked it or not.  
(Ray was lucky he was hot.)

“Like… It wasn’t just me that had the toys, right?” Gavin asked, ducking his head and wow this was a really silly thing to get nervous over. But the Puerto Rican only laughed, leaning over and capturing Gavin’s lips in a kiss that was a lot more skilled than it had been a few days before.

“Nope, I have my five as well.” Ray said, before pausing for a moment “You know what toy you were to us, right?”

“…No.” Gavin admitted. Sure, he knew things about his toy – much in the same way that Geoff fought with crazy plasma guns and wore futuristic armor not unlike his toy counterpart, or the way that Ray was never seen without his conductor’s hat and rose in his lapel like the toy that drove Gavin’s trains each of them had characteristics from their toys that carried over into their dream self.  
But what toy could flip over its own head that wasn’t a jack-in-the-box? Sure he was a clown, but Gavin couldn’t exactly see it being very likely that Jack and him were one and the same – not to mention he couldn’t remember the last jack-in-the-box he’d seen that had claws. Ray seemed to agree with him,

“No no, nothing like that.” He said, shifting in the bed and for a moment the sheet slipped off his shoulder and oh hey, if Gavin had somehow forgotten about his attraction to the guy then he sure as hell hadn’t forgotten about it now.  
“You know how you have those flip-over dog toy things? The ones you wind up and they walk along and bark and then flip over?”

“Yeah?” And even as he said it, he knew exactly what Ray was about to say.  
Huh.  
Well, that would explain why he was a much better fighter close range and while it did sound a bit of a childish choice (then again Jack was a jack in the box and how much more childish could you get then that?) he could understand why it suited him - not to mention it explained all the dog comments too.

“It explains why you’re a hyperactive little shit.” Ray said, as if reading his thoughts and he finished with a shit eating grin. And suddenly they were wrestling, and by god they were lucky that the other two were sleeping on the couch because as the fight dissolved into another round of... less than decent activities, Gavin was pretty sure they wouldn’t have gotten any sleep anyway.

-x-

“I’m sorry.”

It'd taken him all night to work up the courage to stand in front of the mage, a deep rooted shame burning in his gut even as he knew he was only delaying what was right. It didn't stop his breath from quickening in his chest though as Ryan looked up from the magic he wove under his fingers, the intricate weave disappearing into the air. 

“Pardon?”

“I’m really sorry for like… Attacking you.” Gavin said, making a series of wild gestures in an attempt to communicate what he couldn’t put into words – or rather, didn’t really want to. His previous anger had sidestepped to something akin to horror, because how could he have just launched himself so cold-bloodily at him? It made his heart skip a beat just at the thought and not for the first time he was thankful Ray had tackled him in time.

“…Just, why?” Ryan asked, the same confusion Gavin had seen when he had launched himself at the older man coming across his face and Gavin could feel his heart sink. He wasn’t sure he could live with himself if he’d compromised Ryan’s trust in him.

 _Because I saw you, because I could have met you, because this god damn bond decided to pull us both for a bloody loop and I couldn’t handle it._  
Of course, the bond wouldn’t let him say that, and he could feel his breath hiss out from between his teeth when he tried.  
“…Because I want to make things right.” Gavin admitted, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Ryan’s cheek. The feel of his skin was still foreign to him, the press of lips still didn’t feel quite right – but he knew that Ryan knew the meaning behind the words.

“I had the chance to make things right and I couldn’t, and I can’t tell you but you just have to believe me, please-“

“I believe you.”

And Gavin was taken aback not just by the interruption, but by just how strong Ryan’s words were There was no doubt, no second guessing and the Brit could feel his heart leap at the realization. Even not knowing they would ever meet he was willing to trust him. He trusted him.  
He toppled into Ryan’s arms and squeezed him perhaps just a little too tight, head resting against Ryan’s shoulder.

“I like…. Love you and stuff.” And he could feel Ryan chuckle at his oh so eloquent way of putting things.

“I love you too Gavin.” He pressed a kiss to Gavin’s cheek, and the younger man could almost imagine it perfectly. “…And stuff.”

And when Gavin arrived home to that same man sitting at the kitchen table, a rose lying next to him and Ray proclaiming that it was funny how people tended to go to the supermarket pretty regularly and _now aren't you glad I forgot the milk?_ Well, Gavin couldn’t do anything else but hop into Ryan’s lap and hold him tight – and when they finally kissed it was everything he ever wanted it to be.

-x-

When Gavin was born, he received a teddy bear - now, standing alongside his boyfriends, Gavin walked towards collecting him once more.

The airport was as busy as ever, and between businessmen rushing past in nicely fitted suits and families with little kids tugging at their legs the five of them looked a little out of place. But as they took their place beside various representatives holding signs and bored looking taxi drivers, nothing but anticipation gnawed at Gavin’s stomach. 

Geoff stood to one side of him and even in a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt (emblazed with the slogan ‘Ask me about my zombie plan’) Gavin could see the inner strength in him that hallowed him as the leader of the Achievement Hunter office – and them in general, really. (Somebody had to pull them together – and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be him.  
Jack stood next to Geoff, in a plaid shirt and Gavin could see the anticipation on his face; he could feel it in his gut as well, despite the excitement though Jack was still working his charm. Hell, it was probably the only thing keeping Gavin from running down the arrivals hallway himself.  
Ryan had his hand entwined with his own, squeezing it tight as Gavin rocked on his feet. Gavin wasn’t sure he could forgive whatever decided delaying meeting the madder one of their crew would be a fun idea. But as Ryan’s thumb soothed his knuckles as he pressed a kiss to the back of Gavin’s hand he could agree that he was certainly cherishing the man more than even now.  
Ray stood to the other side of Ryan and had claimed his other hand, and he looked nearly as anxious as Gavin felt, a rose held tightly in one hand because damnit, he’d missed giving one to over half of them, he was at least going to get Michael.

Ragequit, Michael had called it, and as Ryan had pushed the laptop across the kitchen counter they’d all known who it was before he’d even hit play, the familiar voice blurting through the speakers. They’d sent an email to the man, from Rooster Teeth, saying that they saw ‘potential’ in his videos and would he mind flying up to Austin to further discus his business opportunities with the company?  
(They’d all tried to write their names at the bottom of the email, but only Geoff had been able to sign off the email – Jack had reasoned later that it was probably something to do with ‘remaining professional’ but it sure didn’t mean they weren’t all anxious as fuck as they waited for Michael to accept.)

The first arrivals started filtering through – and right at the front was Michael.

Gavin could see the man’s face shift from shock to disbelief to just plain joy as he took in the sight of his six soul mates standing on the other side of the fence, grins lighting up all their faces as the final piece of the puzzle fitted into place. This was never just supposed to be a business deal. Finally, finally they weren’t toys and suddenly Gavin couldn’t contain himself as he ran at Michael, all but tackling him into the floor. And he pulled him into a kiss and it was rushed and passionate and messy but it didn’t matter because it was Michael, _Michael._ His love, his boi in his arms and he couldn’t give a shit about making a scene or acting like a minge because despite his legendary anger Michael had always been Gavin’s rock.  
“You fucking idiot.” Michael said, but there was no anger there – only an overwhelming love as they both started to laugh. And as they were surrounded by the others pulling the two of them up Gavin couldn’t be happier.

He finally felt complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with me through this! I've really enjoyed all your lovely comments. I might write an epilogue to this to tie some loose ends up at another time. Also, if you hadn't gathered, this fic doesn't follow the proper timeline of how Rooster Teeth came together, haha.  
> You can find me at dashofscarlet on tumblr as well! : D


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